WR Jalin Hyatt Facing Make-or-break Year with NY Giants

Two years ago, Jalin Hyatt was selected by the NY Giants in the third round of the draft to be a long-term offensive weapon for their receiving corps. Now entering his third NFL season, he's yet to launch his career off the ground due to limited opportunities, porous play, and the emergence of other teammate wide receivers. 

Through 33 games, Hyatt has been targeted 59 times and collected 31 receptions for 435 career receiving yards with zero receiving scores. He’s only started in 10 matchups and, through those games, registered over 100 yards receiving once off a career-high six targets that went for five catches. 

Hyatt was labeled as a deep threat coming out of the University of Tennessee, and he demonstrated this on tape throughout his junior year in college, where he led the country in receiving yards (1,267) and receiving touchdowns (15). Almost half of his receiving yards were from passes over 20 yards (677 yards ), as did more than half of his touchdown catches (8).

The 2025 season is arguably a make-or-break year for Hyatt, who, with projected starting quarterback Russell Wilson, raved about being one of the reasons he decided to sign with New York. His opportunity to establish a role within the offense will begin now, extending into training camp and the preseason.

Jalin Hyatt, WR

2024 in Review

After showing glimpses of promise as a rookie (23 of 40 for 373 yards), Hyatt seemed to be an afterthought in the team’s offense. His numbers for the year: 8 of 19 for 62 yards, and he’s yet to pull in a touchdown in either of his first two seasons.

Along with a reduction in his production came a reduction in his snaps. Whereas he played in 51% of the offense’s snaps as a rookie, that number dropped to 33% last year. That’s a big step backward for a player that the Giants traded up to get in the third round in the 2023 draft.  

Part of the shift in Hyatt’s usage was likely tied into Malik Nabers, who trumped his fellow receivers in terms of pass targets.  

But there were other reasons for Hyatt’s decline. There was a lack of physicality in his game, which saw him get thrown around like a ragdoll while attempting to block or shake coverage.

He also showed an inability to track the deep ball–he went zero for eight on passes over 20 yards thrown his way.

All of that rolled into the classic sophomore slump, putting Hyatt into a make-or-break season coming up.

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Contract Info

Hyatt is entering the third season of his four-year $5.6 million contract that includes $1.091 million in guaranteed money (his signing bonus). This year, he is due to count for $1.5 million against the cap, which is 0.5% of the team’s total cap liabilities. 

If, for some reason, Hyatt doesn’t make the team, the Giants would save $1.261 million and have dead money hits of $272,785 this year and next year.

2025 Preview

It’s a make-or-break year for Hyatt, who will be jockeying for reps and opportunity. The expectation from Giants brass is that Hyatt could potentially factor into the team’s receiving plans as the organization's deep threat/ fourth receiving option. 

Quarterback Russell Wilson has raved about Hyatt during OTAs, calling the 23-year-old an “untapped” playmaker.

Much of it will depend on maximizing the targets he does get when on the field. They’ll likely be much more than the combined 59 targets through two years, so Hyatt must be the dynamic playmaker he’s capable of with them.

Another aspect of his game that he’s looking to improve is his physicality. Hyatt came into the league with a very slender frame and thus struggled against bigger, more physical defenders. 

To his credit, he’s worked on adding muscle, particularly to his upper body, which will hopefully allow him to fight off jam attempts against him coming off the snap.

The Giants don’t seem ready to give up on Hyatt just yet, but if he can’t justify their faith in him this year, then it’s hard to see him as a long-term option with this group.

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